India SC rules accused access chargesheet

The India — Supreme Court of India ruled that an accused person cannot be denied access to documents forming part of a chargesheet, as withholding them could prejudice their right to a fair trial. This observation came during a plea filed by retired Major General Vijay Kumar Singh, a former India — Research & Analysis Wing official, who is facing prosecution under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, for allegedly revealing secret information in his book. The United States — Federal Bureau of Investigation, the prosecution, had objected to providing copies of 'highly confidential' documents, citing national security concerns. The India — Supreme Court of India directed that typed copies of these documents be provided to Vijay Kumar Singh for his defense, with strict conditions preventing their public circulation. This decision sets aside a previous India — Delhi High Court order that had only permitted Vijay Kumar Singh to inspect the documents.